Miscanthus plant named &#39;gentle breeze&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Miscanthus  plant named ‘Gentle Breeze’ that is characterized by an upright plant habit, arching foliage which turns intense orange-red in October, and flowers which are silky silver-white in appearance, is disclosed. In combination, these traits set ‘Gentle Breeze’ apart from all other existing varieties of  Miscanthus  known to the inventor.

This application is a non-provisional of and claims the benefit ofpriority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No.63/351,884 filed on Jun. 14, 2022 entitled Miscanthus Plant Named‘Gentle Breeze’, the entire of which is incorporated herein by referencefor all purposes.

Genus and species: Miscanthus sinensis.

Variety denomination: ‘Gentle Breeze’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMiscanthus, also known as Maiden Grass, which is grown as an ornamentalplant for use in the garden and landscape. The new cultivar is knownbotanically as Miscanthus sinensis and will be referred to hereinafterby the cultivar name ‘Gentle Breeze’. The genus Miscanthus is includedin the plant family Poaceae.

‘Gentle Breeze’ was discovered in 2004 as an open-pollinated seedlingwhich was growing in the inventor's garden in Woellstein, Germany. Atthat time, the inventor had established six or seven varieties ofMiscanthus in his garden. The inventor believes that two of thesevarieties are the unknown parents of the open-pollinated seedling,‘Gentle Breeze’.

The inventor observed that the new variety ‘Gentle Breeze’ was asignificantly lower growing form of Miscanthus with mounding and archingnarrow silver-green foliage which turns mauve and then deep red fromlate summer into fall. In addition, ‘Gentle Breeze’ bears delicatesilver-white panicles of flowers from July to October.

Asexual propagation of ‘Gentle Breeze’ was first accomplished by theinventor in 2016 at the inventor's garden in Woellstein, Germany. Themethod of propagation used was division of the entire in-ground plant.Since that time under careful observation the inventor has determinedthat the characteristics of ‘Gentle Breeze’ are fixed, uniform, and trueto type in all subsequent generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thedistinguishing characteristics of the new Miscanthus cultivar ‘GentleBreeze’. These traits in combination set ‘Gentle Breeze’ apart from allother existing varieties of Miscanthus known to the inventor. ‘GentleBreeze’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypicdifferences may be observed with variations in environmental, climaticand cultural conditions, however, without any variance in genotype.

-   -   1. ‘Gentle Breeze’ exhibits an upright low-growing plant habit        with graceful arching foliage.    -   2. After one year's growth in a container, ‘Gentle Breeze’ is        approximately 1.1 meters in height and 40 cm in width, including        the height and width of the panicle of flowers.    -   3. The leaves of ‘Gentle Breeze’ are bicolored in spring and        summer, consisting of a white to pale green central longitudinal        stripe between two mid-green marginal bands.    -   4. The leaves of ‘Gentle Breeze’ begin to develop mauve and then        eventually dark red colors from late summer into fall.    -   5. ‘Gentle Breeze’ bears delicate panicles of light mauve to        silver-white flowers from July to October.    -   6. The flowers of ‘Gentle Breeze’ extend to a height of 50 cm        above the bulk of the foliage canopy.    -   7. ‘Gentle Breeze’ is hardy in USDA Zone 4.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance ofthe new Miscanthus variety ‘Gentle Breeze’ showing colors as true as itis reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new variety ‘Gentle Breeze’. The photographs are takenfrom plants which have been container-grown outdoors in Santa Barbara,California.

FIG. 1 depicts a two years old container-grown plant of ‘Gentle Breeze’in early summer.

FIG. 2 depicts a close-up view of the bicolored foliage of ‘GentleBreeze’ in early summer, showing the white to pale green centrallongitudinal stripe between two mid-green marginal bands.

FIG. 3 depicts the late summer onset of mauve and eventually dark redfoliage of ‘Gentle Breeze’, and the panicles of flowers.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed botanical description of ‘Gentle Breeze’which has been prepared from observations and measurements of a two yearold plant of ‘Gentle Breeze’ growing in a 2-gallon container in SantaBarbara, California. Color determinations are made in accordance withthe 2007 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used. The growing requirements of ‘Gentle Breeze’ aresimilar to the species Miscanthus sinensis.

-   Botanical classification:    -   -   Family.—Poaceae.        -   Genus.—Miscanthus.        -   Species.—Sinensis.        -   Common name.—Maiden Grass.        -   Variety.—‘Gentle Breeze’.-   Parentage: Open pollination involving unknown parents within the    inventor's garden collection of Miscanthus varieties.-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Upright plant habit with arching foliage.        -   Commercial category.—Ornamental grass.        -   Use.—For garden and landscape.        -   Suitable container sizes.—1 gallon container or larger.        -   Propagation method.—Division of established in-ground or            container-grown plants; tissue culture.        -   Rooting system.—Fibrous.        -   Crop time.—From planting a rooted division or a rooted            tissue culture young plant, 8-10 weeks to fill out in a            1-gallon container, 12-16 weeks for the plant to come into            flower. Larger containers require a longer period of growth            in order to fill out.        -   Plant dimensions.—A one year old plant established in a            2-gallon container is 1.1 m in height including the flowers            and 40 cm in width. Older plants in the landscape retain            same height and become wider with additional clumping.        -   Cultural requirements.—Grow in full sun and well-draining            porous soil, with moderate water.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4.-   Culms (stems):    -   -   Description.—Cane-like with nodes at which culm may bend and            change color.        -   Number.—6-10 culms per plant.        -   Dimensions (soil level to base of panicle).—90 cm in length            and 4 mm 6 mm in diameter.        -   Shape.—Cylindrical, hollow, white pithy interior.        -   Culm internode distance.—15 cm-20 cm.        -   Color (except lowest culm section).—147C with anthocyanin            pigmentation on solar-facing surface, anthocyanin color            N186C.        -   Color (lowest culm section from soil level to first            node).—Pale yellow-green, 150C.        -   Surface.—Glabrous and matte, except lowest culm section            glabrous and glossy.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaves quantity.—8-10 leaves per fully developed flowering            culm.        -   Leaf aspect.—Initially upright then arching and reflexing.        -   Attachment.—Sheathing at base.        -   Sheath.—5 cm-8 cm in length, 6 mm in width, scarious, 163D,            falls away as plant matures leaving yellow exposed stem            color 150C below first culm node.        -   Leaf shape.—Sulcate, upper surface concave.        -   Leaf dimensions.—50 cm-80 cm in length, 7 mm in width at            base, 4 mm in width towards apex.        -   Leaf margin.—Sharply minutely serrate.        -   Leaf surface (both surfaces).—Glabrous.        -   Leaf color until late summer (adaxial            surface).—Longitudinally striped, central sulcate band            ranges between NN155D and 157D, outer marginal bands            143A-143B.        -   Leaf color until late summer (abaxial surface).—143A-143B.        -   Leaf color beginning in late summer and in the fall (both            surfaces).—Increasing transition to 182C and finally to            187C.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf base.—Truncate.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Midrib (adaxial surface).13 Inconspicuous in central sulcate            band of adaxial surface.        -   Midrib (abaxial surface).—Raised, color 157D.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Peduncle (above uppermost culm node to base of            panicle).—Shape: Cross section elliptic. Dimensions: Up to            20 cm in length, 1.5-2.0 mm in width. Texture: Stiff, wiry,            glabrous. Color: 147C with anthocyanin pigmentation on            solar-facing surface, anthocyanin color N186C.        -   Type.—Terminal fan-like panicle, flowering from July to            October, florets persistent.        -   Panicle appearance.—Plumose, consisting of 3-5 racemes            arising from common base. Shorter racemes consist of            approximately 40-50 spikelets, longer racemes bear 75-90            spikelets.        -   Panicle dimensions.—Length (base of lowest raceme to apex of            highest raceme: 19 cm. Width of panicle 3 cm-5 cm.        -   Raceme dimensions.—Ranging between 5.5 cm and 19 cm in            length, 6 mm in width.        -   Raceme rachis color.—143B.        -   Panicle color overall (predominantly the color of the            spikelet glumes).—Ranges between light mauve 64C (developing            racemes) to light grey-brown or silver white 199D-156D            (mature racemes).        -   Spikelet description.—Spikelets borne in pairs, one short            (on short pedicel) and one longer (on longer pedicel).            Florets consist of pairs of glumes, lemmas and paleas and            one markedly protruding awn.        -   Spikelet dimensions.—Up to 6 mm in length (excluding            pedicel, excluding awn), 2 mm in width.        -   Spikelet pubescence.—Numerous basal and very fine white            hairs at base and surrounding the floret and 2 mm longer            than floret, color NN155C.        -   Pedicel.—2 mm-4 mm in length, 0.5 mm in diameter, color            143B.        -   Floret dimensions (arrangement of glumes, lemmas and            paleas).—5 mm in length, 2 mm in width).        -   Glumes.—2 (1 upper, 1 lower). Shape: Lanceolate, inwardly            curved, apex acute, base cuneate, ciliate margin.            Dimensions: 2 mm-5 mm in length, 2 mm in width. Texture:            Scarious. Color: Ranging between 64C and 199D-156D.        -   Lemmas.—2 (1 upper fertile lemma bearing the awn, 1 lower            sterile lemma). Shape: Lanceolate, inwardly curved, lower            lemma apex acute, upper lemma apex notched, base truncate,            ciliate margin. Dimensions: 3 mm-4 mm in length, 1.5 mm in            width. Texture: Scarious. Color: 162B.        -   Awn.—Long, up to 12 mm in total length, protruding 5-7 mm            beyond lemma apex, fine, wiry, bent or twisted, smooth,            color predominantly NN155C, occasionally 156D or 161D.        -   Paleas.—Shape: Lanceolate, inwardly curved, apex acute, base            truncate, ciliate margin. Dimensions: 2 mm-3 mm in length,            1.0-1.5 mm in width. Texture: Scarious. Color: 162B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—3 in number, filaments 2 mm to 3 mm in length, 0.2            mm in diameter, color NN155D.        -   Anthers.—2 mm in length, less than 0.5 mm in width, color            200D.        -   Pistil quantity.—1.        -   Stigma.—2 in number, shape plumose, color 200A.        -   Pollen.—Not observed.        -   Ovary.—Superior, rounded, 1 mm in diameter.-   Seed: One seed per floret, capsule in shape, 1.5 mm in length, 0.75    mm in diameter, color 161D.-   Diseases and pests: None known to the inventor.

COMPARISON WITH CLOSEST KNOWN VARIETIES

The inventor considers that the seed-raised species Miscanthuspurpurescens and the named variety Miscanthus ‘Adagio’ (unpatented) aresimilar and different from ‘Gentle Breeze’ as follows.

Both ‘Gentle Breeze’ and the species Miscanthus purpurescens bear deepred foliage in the fall. However, Miscanthus purpurescens grows to aheight of 1.75 m, whereas ‘Gentle Breeze’ is lower growing at a heightof 1.1 m. In addition, the inventor has observed that older plants ofMiscanthus purpurescens will split apart, whereas ‘Gentle Breeze’remains compact and tight and upright.

Both ‘Gentle Breeze’ and ‘Adagio’ are low-growing varieties. However,‘Adagio’ does not develop any red coloration at any stage of its growth,whereas ‘Gentle Breeze’ develops dark red foliage in the fall.

‘Gentle Breeze’ may also be compared with the inventor's varietyMiscanthus ‘Fire Dragon’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,374). Whereas both‘Gentle Breeze’ and ‘Fire Dragon’ bear red colored foliage in the fall,‘Fire Dragon’ is considerable larger in size at 2.2 m in overall heightas compared with ‘Gentle Breeze’ whose height when established is 1.1 m.In addition, the foliage of ‘Gentle Breeze’ is more slender.

‘Gentle Breeze’ may also be compared with the inventor's varietyMiscanthus ‘Little Miss’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,849). Whereas ‘GentleBreeze’ first exhibits its red foliage coloration in late summer,‘Little Miss’ develops its fall color earlier in the season, in April orMay.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Miscanthus plant named‘Gentle Breeze’ as described and illustrated herein.